Setting goals is a fundamental practice in the pursuit of success. Goals provide us with a sense of direction and purpose. This is true in our personal lives and within our organizations. Objectives serve as markers of progress towards our goals. It is crucial for us to establish objectives that are independent of strategies. In this blog post, we will explore the alignment between goals, objectives, and strategies and discuss the significance of setting independent objectives.

Let’s start by examining the alignment between goals, objectives, and strategies.

Goals, Objectives, Strategies, & Tactics

First, goals are broad, overarching aims. They act as a compass heading. They point towards our vision. There are typically few of them since too many goals can confuse the process.

Next, objectives are how we measure our progress towards our goals. They act as waypoints or markers on our journey towards our goals. Objectives are typically measurable in some way. They can be objectively measured with numbers, or they can be subjectively measured through experience.

Next, Strategies are the ideas that will take us towards our objectives. They are the approaches, methods, and plans that fulfill our objectives. Strategies are ideas, and are not necessarily actionable. For example, “social media” is a strategy, but you can’t do a “social media.” Writing and scheduling posts and taking photos would all be considered tactics.

Finally, tactics are those things that you actually do. They are the habits and actions that you can put in your calendar with concrete output. Tactics should be aligned with strategies, so that the actions you take support your strategies, making your habits and actions more strategic.

This framework allows your actions and habits to support your strategies, which are designed to fulfill your objectives, which are in alignment with your goals, which are in alignment with your vision.

The Significance of Independent Objectives

With an understanding of how goals, objectives, and strategies align, we can better recognize the significance of setting objectives that are independent of any specific strategy. It’s important to create objectives that are in alignment with your goals. Having objectives that aren’t tied to specific strategies is equally as important. This approach allows for greater flexibility and creativity in shaping the strategies that will empower you to succeed.

Consider the Following Scenario

Consider a scenario where the goal is to gain recognition for your brand and its related services. In this scenario, you also have a website. Initially, you might create an objective based on website views, linking this objective directly to the strategy of having a website. However, this approach limits your options for strategies, and may not completely align with your goal.

Now, imagine setting an objective of “Expanded reach and exposure by 50%.” This objective will give you the freedom to explore various metrics that measure brand recognition. While website views may very well be a valid and relevant metric, this objective opens up the possibility of employing different strategies. You may run targeted campaigns with utilize social media and your website together. Creating partnerships, collaborations, creating physical media with QR codes, or focusing on search engine optimization could all be supporting strategies. Your campaigns can be unified across your channels including physical mediums.

Independent Objectives Drive Dynamic Strategies

The measurability of your objectives may be driven by numbers, or they may be experiential – whichever best fits your needs. Having clarity and alignment between vision, goals, and objectives will allow you to set measurable, independent objectives that are in alignment with everything that precede them. Your objectives won’t be dependent on strategies that should support them.

By decoupling your objectives from specific strategies, you have the ability to continually evaluate your strategies and adapt them as needed. Independent, measurable objectives allow for the continuous evaluation of supporting strategies. You may alter current strategies, drop some, or create new ones. As you monitor progress towards your objectives and goals, you will have opportunities to continually address your strategies. Having objectives that allow for shifts in strategy is powerful.

In conclusion, goals serve as an overarching direction, like a compass heading. Objectives act as the milestones guiding your journey and allowing you to reflect on what you’ve done to see what’s worked, and what hasn’t. They are not confined by pre-determined strategies. This framework encourages a dynamic and responsive approach. This will allow you to leverage ideas and creativity as new insights and ideas emerge.